Director Sydney Pollack dies at 73

Sydney Pollack, the acclaimed director of “Tootsie” and “Out of Africa,” has died.

Pollack, who won an Academy Award for “Out of Africa,” died of cancer Monday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 73.

Along with directing numerous hit films and some of the industry’s top stars, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants also acted on television and in movies. In 1982 he played Dustin Hoffman’s talent agent in “Tootsie.” More recent, he portrayed the boss of a law firm in “Michael Clayton,” which starred George Clooney, and was in the new film “Made of Honor” with Patrick Dempsey.

Pollack also had roles on television series such as “Will and Grace,” “Fraser” and “The Sopranos.”

The Indiana native became involved in theater in high school. He moved to New York and studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater.

Pollack performed on Broadway in the 1950s before turning to directing.